The health benefits of eating fish

It's no secret that fish is healthy for us to consume on a regular basis, but just how healthy may astound you. Fish oil has a number of benefits that could be life-changing for some people. The following information will tell you more.

Yes! Scientists have observed that rates of serious depression are lowest in countries where fish plays a prominent role in the cuisine. Major depression causes more disability than any other condition, according to the World Health Organization, but it's possible that the right diet can offer help. Neurologists point out that the brain is about 60 percent fat, much of it in the form of the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish, known as DHA and EPA. Research suggests that omega-3s make brain cells more fluid, allowing them to deliver signals more efficiently. People who become depressed tend to have low blood levels of DHA and EPA.

Doctors have attempted to treat various psychiatric disorders with fish oil in recent years. While fish oil's benefits for certain conditions are still not clear, a panel of experts assembled by the American Psychiatric Association (APA) recently determined that DHA and EPA significantly improve major depression and bipolar depression (sometimes called manic depression).

For some people, fish oil could literally be a lifesaver: several studies have found that suicidal patients given DHA and EPA supplements are less likely to harm themselves. While these types of studies typically use large doses of DHA and EPA, the APA's expert panel nonetheless suggests that all adults can bolster their emotional and mental health by eating fatty fish at least twice a week.

Eat a variety of fish, but choose fatty varieties most often to get the most omega-3 fatty acids in your diet. Here are 10 top sources of omega-3s that are also low in mercury. The amounts are based on 75 grams (three ounces).

Fish or Shellfish

Omega-3s:

• Salmon 0.68 to 1.83 grams
• Herring 1.71 to 1.81 grams
• Oysters 0.37 to 1.17 grams
• Halibut 0.40 to 1.00 grams
• Tuna (canned, packed in water) 0.26 to 0.73 grams
• Pollock 0.46 grams
• Flounder or sole 0.43 grams
• Lobster 0.07 to 0.41 grams
• Crab 0.34 to 0.40 grams
• Shrimp 0.27 grams

Source: The American Heart Association

Seafood rich in omega-3 fatty acids cools chronic inflammation, a risk factor for a long list of conditions. Inflammation is one of the, well, hottest topics in medicine these days. Your immune system produces inflammation to heal injuries and battle germs. Scientists have long known that out-of-control inflammation causes autoimmune disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

In recent years, however, researchers have linked chronic, low-grade inflammation with a host of chronic health conditions. Fortunately, turning down the heat may be as simple as having a few servings of seafood each week. Studies consistently show that people who consume diets rich in omega-3 fatty acids — especially the kind in fish oil — tend to have low blood levels of inflammatory chemicals such as C-reactive protein (CRP), which many cardiologists now consider a major risk factor for heart attacks. In a recent study of nearly 1,000 men and women, Japanese scientists reported that people who ate the most seafood had the lowest levels of CRP compared to others who rarely dined on fish and shellfish.

Other studies show that people who eat plenty of seafood are less likely to develop diabetes, cancer, asthma and allergies. Interesting, though preliminary, research suggests that eating fish may prevent and provide relief from other diseases caused by inflammation, including rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel disease (though in most of these studies, patients took fish oil in the form of supplements).